Using Online Resources

The POWERLibrary is offered as a service of Pennsylvania's public libraries, school libraries, and the State Library. The POWER Library allows you FREE access to thousands of full text periodical articles, newspapers, a major encyclopedia, plus photographs, pictures, charts, maps, reference materials for young people and more. You will find materials of interest in most subject areas for all age groups from young children to adults.  The POWERLibrary can be accessed by clicking on the POWERLibrary icon. To get to the POWERLibrary you must have a library card and your browser must be set to accept "cookies". At the log-in screen enter our library's ID number and the six-digit bar code from your library card. The ID number you need can be obtained by contacting the Degenstein Library. The POWERLibrary has added a new feature which can simplify your information searches. If you know which area of the POWERLibrary you need, you can now click the appropriate link below to go directly to that area. Please note that you will still need to log in with our library's ID number and the bar code from your library card. If you would like to take some quick tutorials on how to use POWERLibrary, click this link: http://www.powerlibrary.info/ and you will be taken to a series of links. Just choose your tutorial and it will begin using the Flash player. Don't forget to turn on your speakers or use headphones. If you would like more detailed information about all that POWERLibrary has to offer, click HERE for a four page printable brochure.

LearningExpress Library provides practice tests, online tutorials, and general advice for school, college, and career building. Take the tests as many times as you want and explore all the tools available to help you improve your scores.

Overdrive is an audio book and eBook service that allows you to download titles free of charge. There are over 900 books to choose from and many more to come over the next year.  Some titles are "Always Available", meaning those never run out of copies. Others are limited to one copy or more. Patrons can reserve titles and will get an email when it is available. Titles check out for 2 weeks and you can check out up to 4 titles per card. You do not need to return them as they will auto check back in after two weeks. There is a good selection of titles that play on iPods, iPhones, and iPod Touch devices as well as the Microsoft Zune players. Everything should play on a traditional MP3 player. There is a list of devices link on the Listen to Books home page.

Patrons can get started by clicking on the Overdrive icon and logging in with our PL number plus the six digits from your library card. Try the "Digital Media Quick Start Guide", click HERE for a printable copy of this guide. This guide has step by step procedures to get you started quickly. For more detailed information, you can watch the "Download Digital Media Guided Tour". This Flash tutorial covers absolutely everything.

*PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT THIS SERVICE IS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE LIBRARY. IT IS ONLY AVAILABLE FROM YOUR HOME COMPUTER.

Ask Here PA is a live online interactive reference service, available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Click on the icon above to get there. Ask Here PA combines the speed and convenience of the internet with the information savvy of experienced reference librarians. Save time and let us help. The librarian who answers your question may not be located in your local area. When you get to Ask Here PA, you will find three ways to get your answers. You can initiate a chat session, use your email account, or simply use your telephone. Instructions are clearly presented on the web site. Why not give it a try the next time you need information.

ProQuest Information and Learning's HeritageQuest Online provides libraries with a unique, growing collection of research materials for tracing family history and American culture. Beginning or professional genealogists can now use this powerful online library, with original page images for all documents, from the convenience of their home or at the library. Indexes and original page images mean no additional trips, inter-library loan requests or work by researchers or staff.
HeritageQuest Online is the marriage of ProQuest's Genealogy & Local History Online, a collection of over 20,000 family and local histories, and content from HeritageQuest, the largest genealogical data, products, supplies and equipment provider to consumers and institutions in the United States. In August 2001, ProQuest acquired HeritageQuest. Founded in 1983, HeritageQuest has been in business for over 20 years and brings a wealth of genealogy data to ProQuest.
HeritageQuest Online is designed specifically for patrons in public libraries who are either just beginning their family research or who after years of work are still uncovering their past. With over 20,000 books currently available, the entire U.S. Federal Census, PERSI™, Freedman’s Bank Records, Revolutionary War Pension Records, and other expanding collections, HeritageQuest Online gives any library the opportunity to tap into one of the largest collections of genealogy material in the country.